US War with Iran Has Burned Through Missile Stockpiles and Allies are Worried

US WAR WITH IRAN HAS BURNED THROUGH MISSILE STOCKPILES AND ALLIES ARE WORRIED

The Wall Street Journal reports that America’s war against Iran has drained its stockpiles of vital missile interceptors. European and Asian allies are now questioning whether Washington can defend them if conflicts break out on multiple fronts.

The Pentagon denies there is a shortage. But independent estimates from the Center for Strategic and International Studies tell a different story.

According to the CSIS report, the US has used nearly half of its pre-war stockpile of Patriot interceptors and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missiles in the Middle East. One assessment suggests up to 65 percent of Patriots have been expended. About a third of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles and Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles are also gone.

Before the war, the US had approximately 2,200 Patriot interceptors. CSIS analysts believe less than 1,000 remain. THAAD interceptors have dropped from about 452 to fewer than 280.

Production cannot keep up with consumption. It takes up to two years to build a single Patriot missile, and replenishing the stockpiles could take three years or longer. The US is rushing new contracts to manufacturers to triple and quadruple production, but the damage is already done.